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Published July 2008
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released this plan for national emergency coordination. Secretary of Homeland Defense Michael Chertoff stated,
"Recognizing the need for an overarching strategy to help coordinate and guide such efforts, Congress directed the Department of Homeland Security to develop the first National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP). The purpose of the NECP is to promote the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters and to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable emergency communications nationwide.
Natural disasters and acts of terrorism have shown that there is no simple solution -- or "silver bullet" -- to solve the communications problems that still plague law enforcement, firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical personnel.
To strengthen emergency communications capabilities nationwide, the Plan focuses on technology, coordination, governance, planning, usage, training and exercises at all levels of government. This approach recognizes that communications operability is a critical building block for interoperability; emergency response officials first must be able to establish communications within their own agency before they can interoperate with neighboring jurisdictions and other agencies."
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